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Front Page
Chief beats chief, cop
Kumasi, 07 May 2002 - Nana Osei Tutu Ampem II, Chief of Akyawkrom, near Ejisu in Ashanti, is helping the Mamponteng police in their investigations into an alleged assault of a policeman and a sub-chief. He was invited by the police last week Monday and released on enquiry bail later in the day.
The victims were named as Constable Ben Gagbagui of the Mamponteng Police Station, and Nana Kwaku Dakore II, Odikro of Asenua near Mamponteng, who is also Gyaasehene of Akyawkrom.
Briefing newsmen in Kumasi at the weekend, police sources said that Akyawkrom and Asenua are sister towns with the chief of Akyawkrom, according to custom and tradition, being the overload of the two communities. The Gyaasehene is said to be acting as the Odikro of Asenua. For sometime now, relations between the two chiefs have been strained by a dispute over status of Nana Darkore as Odikro of Asenua and other land issues.
The sources said at about 5 pm on 26 April while the Gyaasehene was on his way to Asenua to visit his mother, Madam Afua Nyame, 72, he met the Akyawkromhene driving from Asenua towards Kumasi. The Akyawkromhene, on seeing him (Nana Dakore) allegedly turned round, overtook some vehicles and crossed the Gyaasehene’s pick-up forcing him to halt.
At the outskirts of Asenua, the Akyawkromhene allegedly threw a stone at Nana Dakore, breaking the windscreen of his vehicle. At that juncture, the Akyawkromhene was said to have been joined by a group of his supporters who also threw stones at Nana Dakore’s car. Realising that his life was in danger, the Gyaasehene drove straight to the Mamponteng Police to lodge a complaint.
Allegedly acting on the orders of the Akyawkromhene the group attacked Nana Dakore’s aged mother at her home, beat her up until she was rescued by some people who sent her to the Mamponteng Police Station with a swollen face, three of her teeth smashed and another one broken. Both Nana Dakore and his mother were issued with medical forms to seek treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
But the next day, while Nana Dakore was returning the medical reports and attempted to offer a lift to a policeman and a civilian colleague who had gone to Asenua to inspect the damaged caused to parts of his mother’s home, the mob again allegedly attacked them.
The Mamapongeng Police were said to have found it difficult in getting the Akawkromhene to assist in investigations into the attacks and when they finally traced him to Ashanti New Town in Kumasi, he allegedly engaged them in a struggle, striking and tearing the uniform of one of them in the process. The Akyawkromhene, when contacted, denied either attacking Nana Dakore or ordering any group of people to assault his (Nana Dakore) mother.
Nana Tutu Ampem admitted that he turned round and tried in vain to catch up with Nana Dakore, but explained that he wanted to ask the Gyaasehene to stop meddling in the chieftaincy dispute between him (Akyawkromhene) and Opanin Paul Kankan, Abusuapanin of the Assinie Royal Family of Akyawkrom who is challenging his (Akyawkromhene) nomination, election and installation at the Kumasi Traditional Council, having sworn the Great Oath of the Asantehene.
Claiming that Nana Dakore is supporting Opanin Kankam’s family in the dispute because of the differences between them, Nana Tutu Ampem said he was at a sitting of the Kumasi Traditional Council at the Manhyia Palace on 24 April when he had a tip-off that Nana Dakore had hired some “Machomen” to attack him outside the palace and he had to take refuge at the palace for over three hours but some of his followers were beaten up. .
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